Industry (Production and Wages)

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in future Bulletins for Industry dealing with wages, hours of work, and earnings, he will ensure that the origin of earnings is given, and that account is taken of enhanced earnings obtained by personal effort, if he will indicate the part that contemporary
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retiring officer is a married man without dependent children, that retirement takes place on 5th April so that the lump sum is payable in addition to a full year's salary, that there is no other income, and as if the lump sum were taxable as earned income. The rates of tax used are those applicable in 1938–39, 1950–51 and 1960–61 respectively—assuming for 1960–61 that the rates of Surtax will be the same as those for 1959–60.

methods of achieving higher earnings play in bringing about reductions in costs; and why the current Bulletin contains the statement that, as a measure of the pressure on costs, changes in hourly earnings are probably more significant than changes in standard weekly wage rates.

I have taken note of the hon. Member's suggestions and will see that they are given consideration if and when further articles on the relevant subjects are being prepared for the Bulletin.

The statement that as a measure of the pressure of costs, changes in hourly earnings are probably more significant than changes in weekly wage rates, was based on the consideration that, particularly in a period when standard hours are changing, the effective cost of a given amount of labour time is likely to move more nearly with hourly earnings than with standard weekly wages.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT in tabular form statistics regarding development in each
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industry and results obtained since 1946, based on the figures given on the last page of the Bulletin for Industry, No. 136, for December, 1960; and if he will add the total increase in wages received per employee for the same period

† Based on the periodic inquiries into the average weekly earnings of manual wage-earners. The figures show the increase for all operatives between the average of the three inquiries made in 1946 and that made in April, 1960. The figures for some industries may be affected by changes in the industrial classification between 1946 and 1960.